Draft and buffing gear for cars.



F. E. STEBBINS.

DRAFT ANDv BUFFING GEAR FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 3y 191x.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. E. STEBBINS.

DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR FOR CARS.

SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS ff? /ena/f: A @M144 APPLICATION FILED MAY 3,19l1.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. I9|I Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Invenor F. E. STEBBINS.

DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR FOR'CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. ISII.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3y Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

FRANK E. STEBBINS, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRA'FT AND BUFFING- GEAR FOR CARS.

Application filed May 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK E. STEBBINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at f lVashington, District 'of Columbia, have invented, certain new and usefullmprovements in Draft and Bulling Gear for Cars, of which the following is a specification. j

The object of the invention is the provision of an improved draftand buiing gear for cars which shall be comprised of relatively few parts that can easily and quickly be assembled and also disconnected with equal facility and without the use of special tools or appliances whereby repairs when necessary can be made in any place on the road and outside a shop; which shall be so constructed that it will withstand the severe shocks of service without injury; which shall have the movable parts'so combined that they will maintain their normal relative positions and transmit strains equally to both sills of the car underframe; and inv which lost motion may readily be taken up or the parts leasily be re-adjusted one to another or to each other when displaced through wear or otherwse.-

The invention consists generically in a gear having the draft sills or beams united by a fixed abutment, a'movable abutment in front of the fixed abutment, cushioning means between the two abutments, means for supporting the cushioning means so displacement will not ytake place during the action of drawing and buiiing, a draw bar with a slotted shank, and a U-shaped yoke having arms disposed in vertical planes at the sides of the movable abutment and cushioning means and its rear part uniting the arms located next to the fixedabutment, the free ends of said arms being connected to the draw bar by a key passed through the draw bar shank and the ends of the said yoke, the arrangement being such that in buiing the draw bar and key ma move rearwardly relativev to the yoke an in drawing that the draw bar and key may move forwardly, the cushioning means and movable follower at the same time being limited in their forward movements.

Further, it consists in the combination with such a gear of separate adjustable plates for taking up lost motion, or, in other words, for adjusting the yoke in a permanent rearward `position when the slots in the free ends of the yoke become elongated' by wearing away ofthe metal in service.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan. 18, 1916.

Serial No. 824,749.

Further, it consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations and relative arrangements of parts as herein set forth and claimed. v

vThe accompanying drawings illustrate four examples of the physical embodiment of the invention, the parts being constructed, y arranged and combined according to the best modes of procedure I have so far devised for the purpose.

'Figures l, 2 and 3 show the first example;

Fig. 1 being a vertical longitudinal section l vation of Fig. 5, which Fig. 5 is a top plan p view, and Fig. 6 a cross section on a reduced scale of Fig. 5 on line y-y. Figs. 7 and 8 show the third example; Fig. 7 being a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 8, which latter is a top plan view. j Figs. 9, 10 and 11 show the fourth example; Fig. 9 being a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 10, which latter is a top `plan view, and Fig. 11 al' cross section on` a reduced scale on line z-e of Fig. 10.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and apply and use the gears the following description is given supplemental to the disclosure by the drawings.

The combined parts generically common to all of the examples are: the metallic channel center sills 1 suitably spaced apart with flange removed to form an opening for the draw bar; the carry irons 3 for supporting al draw bar; the draw bars 4 each provided with a horizontal slot 5 for receiving a key; the slots 6 in the webs of the channel sills; the slotted cheek plates 7 secured by rivets to the channel sills and with the slots in line with the said slots in the webs of the sills; the fixed cast metal abutments 8 each comprising a body portion 9 with two horizontal holes 10, 10 one above the other, vertical perforated flanges 11, 11 at each end of the body portion and of suitable dimensions through -which and the perforated webs of the sills are passed rivets 12, and the bottom horizontal flanges 13 through each of which vtheir webs in vertical planes; the channel lend sills 2 each with part of the web and one or more pieces so as t0 pass back ofthe cushioning means and each of the two free ends provided with a slot 16; the keys 17 each located. within the slots through the sills, cheek castings, yoke, and in the draw bar slot; the movable abutments 18 each located in a. vertical plane at the rear end of a draw bar, each movable abut-ment being provided with two rods or bars 19, 19 one above the other projecting from the rear vertical surface of the saidA abutment and the ends of the rods Inovedly supported within the holes 10, 10 of the fixed abutment; the helical springs 20,0ne disposed above the other and through which the rods 19, 19-are passed; and the adjusting plates 21 preferably perforated and supported on the rods.

In each of the examples the key frictionally engages the metal bounding the slot in the draw bar so the key will move with the draw bar, and the slots in the webs of the sills and in the cheek plates are elongated or open each side of the ends of the keys so they can freely move forwardly in drawing and rearwardly in buling a suitable distance, depending upon the required draw bar travel. The keys engage the metal at the front ends of the slots in the yokes, but the slots are open atthe rear edges of the keys (see dotted lines) so that in buffing the keys may move rearwardly while the yokes remain stationary.

In examples one and four the yokes are formed integral and wider at their closed or united ends than at their free ends and provided with holes 22, 22 through which the rods 19, 19 pass, the said rods thussupporting the yokes in 'proper positions.

In examples two and three perforated follower plates 23 are present, the rods 19 being passed through the perforations .therein and supporting them at the rear ends of the springs.

In the second example the fixed abutment is cast with a recess 24.- to receive the rear end of the yoke and the yoke is located between the two rods 19, 19, the lower one supporting and maintaining the rear end of the yoke in alinement.

In the third example the yoke consists of two side bars 15', 15 located outside the webs of the sills and with their rear ends slotted to receive the ends of a key 25 passed through an open slot 26 formed in the fixed abutment and the elongated slots 27 formed in the webs of the sills adjacent to the abutment, the said two bars and the key 25 constituting a U-shaped yoke comi prised of three pieces, allowing of their union, and having the same functions as theyoke of the other three examples. The front edge of the key engages the rear surface of the follower plate 23, as shown, so

` the forward movement of the key will ad- Vance the plate in drawing.

` draw bar.

edges of the movable abutment above the mesma In examples one, two and three the rods or bars 19 may be provided with heads 28 seated within recesses in the movable abutments; preferably the rods are cast in the metal of the movable abutments in a well known way to form rigid connections there- `with. These rods 19 are threaded at their forated follower 32 are disposed on each rod,as shown, or as in the second example where concavo-convex perforated spring plates 33 are located on the rods between the xed abutment andthe nuts.

In example 4 the rods 19, identified by 19', 19 to distinguish them, are integral with the movable abutment or secured therei to in casting or otherwise. Their rear ends are movably located within the holes 10, 10 of the fixed abutment 8and support the cushioning means so thev same will not become displaced in buffing or drawing. In

this example the movable abutment is shown f Slotted with 2l ky 34 in the slot and with its y f ends movably supported within slots 35 in A the sills and cheek plates, the said slots being elongated at 36 in the rear of the edge of the key so the key in -buffng. can move rearwardly a suitable distance. In drawing the key and front abutment are stationforwardly relative to the key.

In the third example the movable abut-v ment may have a lug 38 projecting from its front surface and seated within the rear end of the draw bar to aid in holding the movable abutment in alinement with the In examples one and two the yoke may be extended and engage the top surfaces thereof, as shown in Figs.v3 and 6, thus holding the said abutment in alinement with the draw bar and so it cannot sag.

',Ihe means for taking up lost motion so-called, or adjusting the positions of the` movable elements relative toV one another,

or to each other, when-the slots in the ends ary and the yoke slotted at 37 so it can move of the draft arms become elongated by wear, y

consists of perforated metallic plates 21 upon the rods 19-at the front and rear or at either front or rear of the rear end of the yoke in the first and fourth examples, and similar plates perforated or otherwise at the front and rear of the follower plates 23 in examples two and three. Should the slots in the ends of the yokes become worn inservice or the springs become set in the f first and fourth examples so there is an open space between the movable abutment and the rear end of the draw bar, one or morey plates may be removed from the rods at the y rear end of the yoke and placed in front of the same and directly back of the springs.

In the third example, under similar circumstances, a plate or plates must be removed from therear to the front of a` follower plate 23 as is obvious; and in the second example a perforated plate or plates 40,

Fig. 4, may be added on the lug 41 projecting from thefollower plate in front of the rear end of the yoke.

In practice it is preferable when the gear is assembled to place several plates 21 at the front and rear of the rear end of the yoke, and at the front and rear surfaces of the follower plates 23 in the third example to provide for future adjustments, such as mentioned or others.

The mode of operation is substantially the same in each example. In drawing the draw bar, key and yoke are advanced and the springs compressed, the rods 19 and movable abutment remaining stationary. In the second and third examples the follower plates 23 are also advanced on the rods by the yoke. In bufiing the yoke is stationary in examples one and four, and referably so in examples two and three,` whi e the draw bar, key, mov able abutment and rods move rearwardly relative to the fixed abutment, the springs simultaneously being compressed.

The advantages of the invention as embodied in the specific modes illustrated will be appreciated by those skilled in the art,

some of which are as follows: The fixed abutment rigidly secures the sills together f so they cannot spread and insures that the severe shocks of buffing will be distributed equally to the two sills. The coupler head and draw bar can rock sidewise on curves, especially in the first three examples, and the spring will return both to their normal positions upon entering a ytangent from a curve. The movable parts of the gear can easily be assembled and disconnected outside the shops and by a Sledge and wrench. The springs are held in alinement by the rods and cannot accidentally become detached, for in the first three examples the rods each 2g in diameter fill the openings in Vthe springs, and in the fourth example the 2 rods fill the openings in the springs. rlhe yoke, springs, and rods cannot be torn from the fixed abutment, as the elastic limit of the two rods is far in excess of the energy of any 'jerks to which they may be subjected. Provision is made for taking up lost motion, the presence of whichin a long train of cars often results in the parting of the train. The parts are few in number, simple in construction` and so united that they will maintain their normal relative positions under the strains and shocks of severe service.

What I claim is:

l. The combination in a draft and bufiing gear, of slotted sills united by a fixed abutment; a movable abutment having two rods in connection therewith, their free ends threaded and passed through the fixed abutment; nuts on the rods; helical springs on the rods disposed in a vertical plane between the two abutments; a slotted draw bar; a yoke disposed in vertical planes each side of the movable abutment and back of the springs with its free ends slotted; and a key passed through the slot in the draw bar and slots at the free ends of the yoke and with its ends movably supported within the slots in the sills.

2. The combination in a draft and bufling gear, of slotted sills united by a fixed abutment; a movable abutment having two rods in connection therewith, their free ends threaded and passed through the fixed abut ment; nuts on the rods; cushioning means between vthe nuts and the fixed abutment and supported by the rods; helical springs on the rods disposed in vertical planes between the two abutments; a slotted draw bar; a yoke disposed at the sides of the movable abutment and back of the springs with its ends slotted; and a key passed through the slot in the draw bar, and slots at the ends of the yoke and with its ends movably supported within the slots in the sills.

3. The combination in a draft and bufling of the bar or rod to prevent the withdrawal` of the same from the fixed abutment; cush-l ioning means located between the two abutments; a slotted draw bar; a yoke with slotted ends passed around the cushioning means; and a key passed through the draw bar and the slots at the ends of the yoke, the end of said key being movably supported within the slots in the draft members, and the drawbar being movable away from said movable abutment in drawing.

4. l'Ihe combination in a draft and bufiing gear, of slotted draft members united by a fixed abutment provided with a horizontal opening for a rod; movable abutment; a rod independent of the draw bar secured to and movable with said abutment and its free end passed through the opening in the fixed abutment; means at the end of the rod to prevent the withdrawal of the rod from the fixed abutment; springs located between the two abutments and supported on the rod; a slotted draw bar; a yoke withl slotted `ends passed around the springs; and a key passed through the draw bar and the slots in the ,ends of the yoke. the ends of said key being all ported movable away from said movable abutment in drawing.

5. 'lhe combination in a draft and bufiing gear, of draft members united `by a fixed abutment; a movable abutment; rods ien connection with the movable abutment and supported by the fixed abutment so they can move rearwardly relative to said fixed abutment; cushioning means at the rear of the' movable abutment; a slotted draw bar; a yoke with slotted ends passed around the cushioning means; and a key uniting the draw bar and the ends of the yoke.V

6. The combination in a draft and bufiing gear, of draft members united by a -fixed abutment; a movable abutment; rods in connection with the movable abutment and supported by the fixed abutment so they can move rearwardly relative to said fixed abutment; cushioning means consisting of helical springs between the two abutments and the said rods passed through the same; a slotted draw bar; a yoke withslotted ends passed around the cushioning means; and a key uniting the draw bar and ends of the yoke; the draw bar and yoke being movable relative to said movable abutment in drawinigl.

7 The combination in a draft and bu 'ng gear, of sills; a fixed abutment uniting the sills; a movable abutment; helical springs between the abutments; rods supported bythe fixed abutment secured to the movable abutment and parts of said rods located within the helical springs to maintain said springs in their proper positions; a draw bar; and a yoke passed around the springs and having its ends secured to the draw bar. 8. The combination in adraft and buf-ling gear, of'sills; a fixed abutment` uniting the sills; a movable abutment; cushioning meansbetween the two abutments; rods connected to the movable abutment, supporting the cushioning means and having their ends supported by the fixed abutment; a draw bar; and a yoke surrounding the cushioning means and secured to the draw bar.

9. The combination in a draft and bufiing gear, of sills; a fixed abutment uniting the sills; ya movable abutment; helical springs between the two abutments; rods connectedr to the movable abutment, passed through the helical springs and having their Aends supby the fixed abutment; a draw bar; and a yoke surrounding the helical springs and secured to the draw bar; said draw bar and yoke being movable relative to the said movable abutment in drawing.

1G. The combination in a draft and buff'- ing gear, of sills; a fixed abutment uniting kthe sills; a. movable abutment; cushioning means between the two abutments; rods connected to the movable abutment, passed through the cushioning means and having their endssupported by the xed abutment; a draw bar; and a yoke having arms with abutment to prevent the forward movement c of the said' rods and the movable abutment; a draw bar; and means connecting the draw sov bar with the springs; the draw bar in drawing being movable away from said movable abutment.,

12. A movable follower for a draft andk buffing vgear having two rods independent of the draw .bar and secured to the abutment y so the rods and abutment always move together uniformly and said rods provided with means' for securing the same yto an abutment; cushioning means between the eok movable follower and theabutment; a draw f bar; and means for connecting the draw bar with the cushioning means whereby the draw bar can move away from the movable follower in drawing, and lmove with the,

movable follower in buffing.

13. The combination in a draft and bufling gear, of sills united by a fixed abutment provided` with openings; a movable abutment having two rods with their free ends supported within the openings in the fixed abutment; helical 'springs on the rods between the movable and fixed abutments';

means for preventing the forward movement of the movable abutment in drawing, a yoke surrounding the springs and with its free ends slotted; a slotted draw bar; and a key passed through the slots in the ends of the yoke and the slot in the draw bar.

14:. The combination in a draft and y bufiing gear, 1of draft members; a rigid abutment uniting the draft members; a movable abutment; springs between the movable and fixed abutments; means for connecting the movable abutment with the fixed abutment whereby the former can move rearwardly.l relative to the latter; a draw ,i f

bar; a yoke fori connecting the draw bar with the rear ends of the springs; and means for taking up lost motion.

15. The combination in a draft and bufiing gear including a draw bar and draft means, of a fixed abutment; a movable abutment; rods connecting the front abutment with the fixed abutment; cushioning means in connection with the rods; means at the ends of the rods for preventing the forward movement of the rods and the movable abutment; and perforated plates supported'by the rods for adjusting the movable parts of the gear one relative to another.

16. The combination of draft members, a Xed abutment or abutments on the draft members, a movable abutment, cushioning means at the rear of the movable abutment, a draw bar, means for connecting the draw bar with the cushioning means, and means for taking up lost motion.v

17". The combination With a draft and buffing gear having a slotted draw bar, yoke with slotted draft arms, a key uniting the draw bar and draft arms, cushioning means suitably supported, and means for taking up lost motion.

18. The combination with a car draft and bufling gear having a slotted draw bar, yoke with slotted draft arms, and a key uniting the draw bar and slotted draft arms said key being fixed in the draw bar and movable in the slots of the arms, of means for taking up the lost motion due to the set of the springs or the Wearing away of tbe metal between the key and the arms.

19. The combination in a draft and buiing gear, of draft beams, a fixed abutment rigidly secured to and between the beams and having an opening therein, a draw bar, a horizontally disposed yoke with arms secured to the draw bar, a movable abutment, cushioning means back of the movable abutment, a rearward extension carried by the movable abutment passed back of the rear of the yoke and supported within the opening of the liXed abutment, and means for anchoring the said rearward extension to the fixed abutment so the movable abutment cannot advance in drawing, but can move rearwardly 'in bufling.

20. The combination of slotted draft beams united by a fixed metallic abutment secured to and between the beams, a slotted drawbar, a U-shaped yoke horizontally disposed having its free ends slotted and united by a key of less width than the slots to the drawbar and its rear end normally bearing against the metallic abutment, a movable abutment having a limited rearward movement and supported by a key or 4bar passed through the same and supported by the draft beams, cushioning means between the fixed and movable abutments, and means for retaining said cushioning means in proper position between the abutments.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E.- STEBBINS. Witnesses:

WALTER BELL,

F. A. MILLIGAN. 

